The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Pattern verification, such as in a context of registration of a trusted fingerprint into a trusted memory of a fingerprint verification system, requires a sufficiently accurate and precise image of the trusted fingerprint (how accurate and how precise are dependent upon design considerations of a particular embodiment). This image may be obtained directly from an imaging sensor. This may be suitable for large area imaging sensors. However, for many applications, the trusted image is reconstituted from image portions of the trusted fingerprint taken from a sensor having a sensing area smaller than the final image. For many mobile applications and electronic platforms, such as smartphones and the like, the use of the small sensor provides a smaller form factor having a lower cost of goods which is important to implementation and adoption. However use of the smaller sensor impacts registration and user experiences during verification.
Any mobile electronic platform having a fingerprint verification system typically includes a registration system that establishes and writes one or more trusted images into a trusted database/memory. Test fingerprints are compared against the trusted image(s) using a matching engine that matches features of interest from the test fingerprint against features of interest from the trusted image(s). A quality of the test image and of the trusted images impact the user experience.
Many systems using a small area sensor therefore register a single finger using multiple impressions. An initial impression of an image portion always provides completely unique information of the larger image to be reconstituted. However, subsequent impressions have varying usefulness depending upon whether the user provides an impression that partially overlaps and partially presents new image data. The user has difficulties in placing a finger for multiple impressions to ensure only unique partial overlapping data is presented with each impression, particularly over a breadth of an entire fingerprint pattern. It is too easy for a user to provide subsequent images with too much overlap or with too little or no overlap. A user does not know when or if they have provided enough sufficiently overlapping image impressions that map enough of the total fingerprint to provide an end product that provides the user with an easy-to-use verification system.
From a perspective of a user, this can become very challenging as the sensor imaging area decreases. Registration systems may not provide feedback to the user of a status of the finger area mapping process. An accuracy of the registration process is degraded when the set of image portions are unable to produce the needed larger image.
Systems for processing image portions of a pattern may sometimes be desirably implemented using limited computing and memory resources. As an active area of a sensor decreases, a greater number of image portions are needed to cover any particular area of the pattern. Managing and processing multiple portions of a pattern can sometimes negatively impact performance, unless other systems and methods are implemented to counter this impact which may add additional complexity and costs.
Biometric systems associated with devices sometimes add to a complexity or ease of use of the device. Particularly as many biometric systems add delay and confusion to registration of trusted patterns to enhance security. Some user's may resist adoption or use of such biometric systems. There is a desire to provide easy ways to enhance biometric security.
Some devices, including portable electronic devices, may not include biometric imaging devices due to cost, size, power, or other reason. Some of these verify access by use of a password or PIN to access the device or services enabled by the device.
Some portable electronic devices may be unable, or do not wish, to support a conventional user interface as part of the portable electronic device. In such cases, it would be desirable to provide some type of secure interface mechanism.
What is needed is a system and method for adding/substituting options with pattern matching systems.